Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-08-06

"OmOu ouu men.
From the baltimore sun.
In Q recent article Dr. Romaues
stated that women could read and
memorizs . page OF book much
moro rapidly than men, from which he ar
guOd that the latter are inferior to women In
| uuickness OF perception. The learned doctor
| mentions one lady who could read exactly
| four times - fast - her husband, and could
| then give better account Of what the nus.
band had read than he could himself Some
highly distinguished men, he adds, were
hts slowest readers There will perhaps, be
general assent to the proposition that woman
notes, relates and disinsses from considera
ton twice the number of things in half the
time man could. The nicely Of her dis
elimination In doing so, the Epoch, however,
dares TO call in question. An extraordi.
nary blunder, T" says the Epoch, "is COM
mitted by DR.. Romanes IN credting women
with . greater refinement and higher evolu
tion OF the sense organs. +" The reverse, our
hardy contemporary maiintsins ais most
emphatically true " The epoch then pro
ceods to charge woinAnk Ind with being more
tolerant than men Of coarse perfumes like
musk, because their sense OF smell Ia less
acute and refined than mans Expert.
ments made by two professors OF Kansas
university are quoted 70 show that the
sense OF smell 10 IN general much more deli
serverA " 1t wae found that men could dis.
tinguish an odor which had to be doubled or
quintupled In strength before women could
detect It The sense OF taste IL better
10 men also. Female epicures are rare,
and the best cooks are men. -tssters
are always men, and 10, 1t may bs added,
are wOol.sorters piano.tupers and the
subtlest and greatest coiorists. There are
many excellent female singers and VIC.
linis 8, the Epoch feels constrained to admit,
but It contends that men can distinguish
small fractions OF semi.tones better than
women. DIR. Romsnes while conceding
that "in matters OF artistic and literary crtt-
cism We turn instinctiveiy to the judgment
OF men, " yet holds stoutiy to the prevalent
view that " feminine taste Is good in regard
to the smaller matters OF everyday life.
But the ungallant Epoch questions even this
II We look, 1t says, "st the average
W0man's Willingness tn accept such fashion.
able monstrosities as Hottentot bustles, hoop
skirts, ,deforming wasp " aist corsets and ugly
high hats, trimmed with stuffed corpses of
innocent birds, We feel tempted to doubt the
prevalence OF aesthetic taste among women"
The inartistic finish OF the coloring OF the
faces OF those whose deficient taste leads
them to paint Is also sometimes cited as
proof OF inability to make good use OF = bad
thing. The Epoch is disposed, therefore, to
agree with Theophile Gsutier that women
have the sense of fashion, but not the sense
OF beauty. The moral our contemporary
has In view In its unsallsnt observations Is
that women being still " so far from perfec
fion In what has al ways been regard Ell a. their
proper sphere, their champions are CON-
pletely sstrsy when they demand for them
:" the privilege of sharing mans labor In |
politics, business and the professions. "
With some qualifications the conclusion may
be accepted there 10 plenty OF occupation |
Tor woman In her present sphere IL its du.
lies are rightly performed. 4 broader com.
prehension OF her present task would show /
It TO be fully as important aud honorable
"a any other. The disposition to alter the |
existing division OF labor arises from an iai- |
,orfect comprehension of its value. Woman,
he Epoch holds should endeavor to cd ucate
Ter senses, her esthetic taste, her emotions
md judgment, with the object OF improve
nent within the domestic sphere. 1t is thus
The will BEST serve others and render her
'wn life happy. In education the mental
md emotional qualities that distinguish the
eminine from the masculine intellect should
% cultivated rather than obscured. They
Are not defects but charms, and constitute
wOman's Bet -ikfes,stible source OF intiu.
ence over man.